Investigation launched into Rotterdam oil spill

By Janene Pieters on July 5, 2018 - 10:40

Hundreds of swans covered in oil after a spill in the Derde Petroleum port in Rotterdam, 24 June 2018. Photo: @POL_Feijenoord / Twitter

The Dutch Safety Board launched an investigation into an oil tanker colliding with a jetty at the port of Rotterdam on June 23rd. Some 200 tons of oil leaked into the water after the collision. The Safety Board will investigate both the cause of the collision, and the control of environmental damage after the oil spill, NU.nl reports.

According to the Safety Board, this investigation is mandatory under international agreements. The investigation will be done in cooperation with Norway, where the tanker in question is registered. It is expected that the final report will be published in about a year's time.

Last week Adriaan Visser, D66 port alderman in Rotterdam, said to the city council that he has no idea what caused the collision. "The ship had a pilot on board, wind force 3 and clear visibility. It is still a complete mystery how this could have happened."

The spill resulted in hundreds of swans being covered in oil. An emergency shelter was set up, where experts and volunteers helped clean the birds up. The intention was to release the first swans back into the wild on Thursday morning, but they are not strong enough yet. Rijkswaterstaat announced that a final blood values check revealed that "unfortunately the swans have not yet strengthened sufficiently".